DIY Stands Template and Calculator - Page 188

d_malisz · 09/28/2017, 09:21 AM

Maybe someone will be interested to do somethig cleaner and wery solid (alu systems): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sg70S0GzReQ

JonMayo · 09/28/2017, 06:38 PM

I have had freshwater (mulitiple aquariums) for years. However recently I came across a 90gal. I didn't like the stand so I decided to build one as per these plans. What do you guys think so far?

Linkfalcon · 10/16/2017, 08:41 PM

Hey guys looking for some help with plans for a custom stand for a propagation system
The stand will hold 4 10 gallon tanks side by side and a 40b sump I think does not need to be skinned or anything fancy

So the dementions of the stand will be
46x22x30 tall

Thanks guys for your time and help

Grimreaperz · 03/18/2018, 08:05 PM

Could we get someone to fix the pictures? In the OP post

BoisBlancBoy · 03/19/2018, 07:11 AM

Here is the original picture.

I want to build a stand for a 48x24x24 120 gallon tank. So according to the original plan I would go with a 2x6 top from and the bottom frame would stay 2x4. I would like to get a 55 gallon sump in there 48x12.75x21”

How tall would you have the stand to make sure there was enough clearance for plumbing, skimmer maintenance etc? Do you think I’m using up too much space buy using the 55 gallon sump?

Chad_P · 03/26/2018, 01:06 PM

How much of a crown is too much? I've got everything built and 1/2" plywood on top and running a level across indicates I'm not perfectly flat. Is it worth just trying to get better lumber and rebuilding? Also was thinking of ditching the plywood if I have to sand it perfectly flat. this is for a 180 gallon tank.

Floyd R Turbo · 03/26/2018, 01:36 PM

Eliminating a crown is very important. For a tank over 48" long, you need full support all the way around. I had a crown on my 120 2x2x4 stand and didn't notice it, a few days after filling it I saw the seals forming bubbles and I had to tear it down & shim up the plywood on the corners.

So you have 2 options here, one is to remove the plywood and use a planer to shave the crown off of the 2x4s or 2x6s so that the plywood sits flat, or you can loosen up the screws enough to shim up the plywood and then screw it back down so it's secure and the screws are countersunk enough.

Depending on the crown, you might need very thin shims. I got a pack of cedar shakes from Menards, I think it was around $20-$30 for a pack (a large pack) and those are tapered down in varying thicknesses, some are paper thin. So you can snap them off in various widths and use 2 narrow shims inserted into the gap (one from inside, one from outside) and then you are essentially "extending" the 2x4s/2x6s such that the plywood will be level

Chad_P · 03/26/2018, 01:44 PM

Thanks for the help. The plywood top is glued down, so it's gonna get messy. I think I'll try to rebuild with some more true lumber. Then I'll ditch the plywood top anyways since once it's nice and flat I don't want to introduce any more opportunity for messing that up.

Has anyone thought of using LVL's? I know it will be .25" wider but those are nice and straight. obviously more expensive but stronger and less headache dealing with the crown.

Floyd R Turbo · 03/26/2018, 01:57 PM

Yeah I was afraid of that...the gluing part.

Well, assuming this is a glass tank, you could potentially put another sheet of plywood down and shim between that one and the current top one, but you would somewhat lose the ability to shim from the other side, unless you cut out the middle of the current plywood, leaving only the part that is directly over a support. That wouldn't be difficult if you used a router and flush cutter riding on the supports. Could also use a jigsaw. Then you could get to the inside to shim.

Chad_P · 03/26/2018, 02:00 PM

That’s a thought. Let me mess around with it and see what path I take. I didn’t run into this on my 93 cube stand but it was a lot shorter run. Thanks!

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Chad_P · 03/26/2018, 04:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chad_P

That’s a thought. Let me mess around with it and see what path I take. I didn’t run into this on my 93 cube stand but it was a lot shorter run. Thanks!

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Is it worth putting a plywood top on? I was looking at some and they are all cupped. I don’t want to spend time getting my 2x6s perfectly flat then fight with a piece of plywood that won’t lay flat. Ive got an all glass with trim 180 gallon. Frame is 73”x25”.

I realize the plywood can be glued/screws to get flat but don’t want to count on that. I want to make sure my tank is fully supported/sitting flat if I’m going through all this re-work.

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BrettDS · 03/26/2018, 05:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chad_P

Is it worth putting a plywood top on? I was looking at some and they are all cupped. I don’t want to spend time getting my 2x6s perfectly flat then fight with a piece of plywood that won’t lay flat. Ive got an all glass with trim 180 gallon. Frame is 73”x25”.

I realize the plywood can be glued/screws to get flat but don’t want to count on that. I want to make sure my tank is fully supported/sitting flat if I’m going through all this re-work.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I don’t think there’s any need for plywood under a glass tank with trim. The tank sits on the trim, which only runs around the edges. The wood frame will fully support the tank.

My 220G glass tank with trim has been on a stand I built with these plans with no plywood for more than 2 years with no problems.

Floyd R Turbo · 03/26/2018, 05:44 PM

Agreed, with a rimmed glass tank I don’t think it’s quite as important, though it does add support

As for cupped plywood, cheap plywood probably does warp, the plywood I use (and the only I would use for an acrylic or glass/rimless tank) would be 3/4” (actually 23/32”) Aruco, which is expensive but very much worth it

Lsufan · 03/26/2018, 06:27 PM

I also use 3/4” plywood. If the frame is perfectly in plane then the plywood will also be flat once it is screwed down. Dimensional lumber has inconsistencies but plywood is pretty consistent as far as thickness. I think the plywood definitely helps but it helps more to keep the stand square & from racking.

I wouldn’t go as far as using lvl’s. I know locally to me a 16” by 16’ lvl is $125. I don’t think I would rebuild the stand eighther, but I’m not sure what point u are at on the build. I know not many people have a planer to use on dimensional lumber, so u have to make sure u use the straightest pieces u can find.

I would go the route Floyd mentioned. Preferably, remove the 1/2” plywood & cut a piece of 3/4” plywood for the top. Shim where it is needed to get it flat. I would use liquid nail under the plywood instead of glue. The liquid nail gets very hard so it will fill in the voids inbetween & around the shims. I would place just enough screws to get it flat & leave it be until the liquid nail dries. Once it dries u can add more screws if u need to. I would also screw right ontop of the shims so u don’t risk sucking the plywood down inbetween the shims.

If possible I would try & shim from the inside of the stand. I would try & add the shims & screw it down before adding the liquid nail. Once u have it flat take a little brad nailer & nail the shims to the plywood from under the stand so the shims stay in place. Then take out the screws & remove the plywood. Then place the liquid nail down & put the plywood back in place. If u nail the shims to the plywood everything should be perfectly in place when u set it in the liquid nail. Then screw it back into the same screw holes.

It will work eighther way but the second option would let u be able to adjust it & get it right without having a big mess of liquid nail. U would also know that the liquid nail is solid because u wouldn’t be moving it around once u set it in place

Floyd R Turbo · 03/27/2018, 08:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lsufan

I would use liquid nail under the plywood instead of glue. The liquid nail gets very hard so it will fill in the voids inbetween & around the shims. I would place just enough screws to get it flat & leave it be until the liquid nail dries. Once it dries u can add more screws if u need to. I would also screw right ontop of the shims so u don’t risk sucking the plywood down inbetween the shims

Great suggestion

Chad_P · 03/27/2018, 06:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Floyd R Turbo

Great suggestion

Thanks all. I rebuilt the top and used a belt sander to get flat. Thought I got the crowns nice and flat but on one side I screwed it down and found a couple of spots I sanded too low. I shimmed up the top using a new piece of 3/4” melamine.

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JonCherba · 04/13/2018, 01:46 PM

I have a design for an aquarium stand based on Joey's (king of diy) design. It looks very similar to Rockets. I have been trying to figure out how to calculate the max weight my design can hold so I can figure out the safety factor. I can email a PDF on Monday if anybody needs it. I may be able to get the PDF tonight. Thanks.

Djbeasley05 · 05/23/2018, 07:48 AM

I’m putting a 60 gallon cube on this pedestal with a 40b sump under it. With that pedestal support the cube? There are 6- 3x3 solid wood pillars under the platform. Under the top is 2-2x6’s running front to neck where the platform legs sit.

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GreenbriarManor · 07/17/2018, 09:08 AM

Good morning all,

I am building a stand for a 60x24x24 rimless.

My plan is to use 2x6 on the top box and 2x4 on the bottom and most likely center braces front and back.

I have two questions:
1. Can I add short 4" legs/feet to the bottom box to hold it up off the floor for cleaning underneath? I have wood floors sitting on a concrete slab sub-floor.

2. If so, what do you recommend? Do I follow the corner leg design and use two 2x4 at 90deg on each corner and then maybe a single one in the center front and back? Or something else?

(Apologies if this has been answered, the thread is so huge that searches for "legs", "feet", etc was difficult to parse.)

Thanks,
J

r2odie · 09/01/2018, 08:17 AM

I have read much of this long two part thread and am still a little bit confused about how long a span I can have with no center brace. I know many will say put vertical braces to be safe. But I would like to be able to remove my 6 ft sump (should i ever have to) by leaving a 76 inch span in the front. The back will be vertically supported as well as three 2x6 horizontal braces. The tank is 10 ft long and will hold about 350 gal. The top rails are 2x6 and the open span in the front is 76 inches. I will use a temp support if i have to, but would still have to empty the tank to unload the potential weight. The tank is glass with a trim ring on the top, it is also rounded in the front corners (no seams). Thanks for any responses.

Bpb · 09/01/2018, 10:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by r2odie

I have read much of this long two part thread and am still a little bit confused about how long a span I can have with no center brace. I know many will say put vertical braces to be safe. But I would like to be able to remove my 6 ft sump (should i ever have to) by leaving a 76 inch span in the front. The back will be vertically supported as well as three 2x6 horizontal braces. The tank is 10 ft long and will hold about 350 gal. The top rails are 2x6 and the open span in the front is 76 inches. I will use a temp support if i have to, but would still have to empty the tank to unload the potential weight. The tank is glass with a trim ring on the top, it is also rounded in the front corners (no seams). Thanks for any responses.

If you put a door on the end you should be able to remove your sump provided the screw strips aren’t in the way

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r2odie · 09/01/2018, 10:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bpb

If you put a door on the end you should be able to remove your sump provided the screw strips aren’t in the way

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

Great idea, but it wont work the sump is two wide. Im thinking more along the lines of the four points hold most of the weight as glass wont flex?

Lsufan · 09/01/2018, 07:05 PM

Glass will flex & it’s very important that the stand keeps that from happening. I wouldn’t go a span of 76” with a 2X6 top frame. I would feel comfortable making that span with a 2 X8 top frame. If u don’t want to do that then I would atleast double up the 2X6 with them glued together.

r2odie · 09/02/2018, 06:55 AM

[QUOTE=Lsufan;25490803]Glass will flex & it’s very important that the stand keeps that from happening. I wouldn’t go a span of 76” with a 2X6 top frame. I would feel comfortable making that span with a 2 X8 top frame. If u don’t want to do that then I would atleast double up the 2X6 with them glued together.[/QUOTE

I can make the top 2x8 simply by making the bottom the top, and moving the three horizontal braces. I'm even thinking about a 1/4 inch plate to stiffen the top beam. Thanks for the input.

Lsufan · 09/02/2018, 10:42 AM

That would be the best option. The bottom frame isn’t as important because it is in contact with the floor. 2X4 for the bottom is plenty, u just want to make sure that if u have to shim the stand to get it level u have a shim under any vertical supports on the stand.

10/16/2017, 08:41 PM	#4678
Linkfalcon Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: Arlington va Posts: 158	Hey guys looking for some help with plans for a custom stand for a propagation system The stand will hold 4 10 gallon tanks side by side and a 40b sump I think does not need to be skinned or anything fancy So the dementions of the stand will be 46x22x30 tall Thanks guys for your time and help Last edited by Linkfalcon; 10/16/2017 at 08:42 PM. Reason: Adding

03/26/2018, 01:36 PM	#4682
Floyd R Turbo Either busy or sleeping Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: West Des Moines, IA Posts: 4,265 Blog Entries: 15	Eliminating a crown is very important. For a tank over 48" long, you need full support all the way around. I had a crown on my 120 2x2x4 stand and didn't notice it, a few days after filling it I saw the seals forming bubbles and I had to tear it down & shim up the plywood on the corners. So you have 2 options here, one is to remove the plywood and use a planer to shave the crown off of the 2x4s or 2x6s so that the plywood sits flat, or you can loosen up the screws enough to shim up the plywood and then screw it back down so it's secure and the screws are countersunk enough. Depending on the crown, you might need very thin shims. I got a pack of cedar shakes from Menards, I think it was around $20-$30 for a pack (a large pack) and those are tapered down in varying thicknesses, some are paper thin. So you can snap them off in various widths and use 2 narrow shims inserted into the gap (one from inside, one from outside) and then you are essentially "extending" the 2x4s/2x6s such that the plywood will be level __________________ Algae Scrubber Basics!!! GOOGLE "algaescrubber zoho" General Interest Forums --> Advanced Topics --> Algae Scrubber Basics (sticky) --> POSTS #3251-64 (Basics), #5206 (Cleaning), #6884 (LEDs), #729

03/26/2018, 01:57 PM	#4684
Floyd R Turbo Either busy or sleeping Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: West Des Moines, IA Posts: 4,265 Blog Entries: 15	Yeah I was afraid of that...the gluing part. Well, assuming this is a glass tank, you could potentially put another sheet of plywood down and shim between that one and the current top one, but you would somewhat lose the ability to shim from the other side, unless you cut out the middle of the current plywood, leaving only the part that is directly over a support. That wouldn't be difficult if you used a router and flush cutter riding on the supports. Could also use a jigsaw. Then you could get to the inside to shim. __________________ Algae Scrubber Basics!!! GOOGLE "algaescrubber zoho" General Interest Forums --> Advanced Topics --> Algae Scrubber Basics (sticky) --> POSTS #3251-64 (Basics), #5206 (Cleaning), #6884 (LEDs), #729

03/26/2018, 05:44 PM	#4688
Floyd R Turbo Either busy or sleeping Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: West Des Moines, IA Posts: 4,265 Blog Entries: 15	Agreed, with a rimmed glass tank I don’t think it’s quite as important, though it does add support As for cupped plywood, cheap plywood probably does warp, the plywood I use (and the only I would use for an acrylic or glass/rimless tank) would be 3/4” (actually 23/32”) Aruco, which is expensive but very much worth it __________________ Algae Scrubber Basics!!! GOOGLE "algaescrubber zoho" General Interest Forums --> Advanced Topics --> Algae Scrubber Basics (sticky) --> POSTS #3251-64 (Basics), #5206 (Cleaning), #6884 (LEDs), #729

04/13/2018, 01:46 PM	#4692
JonCherba Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2018 Posts: 1	Aquarium stand design strength... I have a design for an aquarium stand based on Joey's (king of diy) design. It looks very similar to Rockets. I have been trying to figure out how to calculate the max weight my design can hold so I can figure out the safety factor. I can email a PDF on Monday if anybody needs it. I may be able to get the PDF tonight. Thanks.

09/28/2017, 09:21 AM	#4676
d_malisz Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Posts: 10	Maybe someone will be interested to do somethig cleaner and wery solid (alu systems): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sg70S0GzReQ

03/18/2018, 08:05 PM	#4679
Grimreaperz Registered Member Join Date: May 2016 Location: British Columbia Posts: 518	Could we get someone to fix the pictures? In the OP post

03/26/2018, 01:06 PM	#4681
Chad_P Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2016 Posts: 208	How much of a crown is too much? I've got everything built and 1/2" plywood on top and running a level across indicates I'm not perfectly flat. Is it worth just trying to get better lumber and rebuilding? Also was thinking of ditching the plywood if I have to sand it perfectly flat. this is for a 180 gallon tank.

03/26/2018, 01:44 PM	#4683
Chad_P Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2016 Posts: 208	Thanks for the help. The plywood top is glued down, so it's gonna get messy. I think I'll try to rebuild with some more true lumber. Then I'll ditch the plywood top anyways since once it's nice and flat I don't want to introduce any more opportunity for messing that up. Has anyone thought of using LVL's? I know it will be .25" wider but those are nice and straight. obviously more expensive but stronger and less headache dealing with the crown.

03/26/2018, 02:00 PM	#4685
Chad_P Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2016 Posts: 208	That’s a thought. Let me mess around with it and see what path I take. I didn’t run into this on my 93 cube stand but it was a lot shorter run. Thanks! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

03/26/2018, 06:27 PM	#4689
Lsufan Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2013 Location: Baton Rouge Posts: 1,410	I also use 3/4” plywood. If the frame is perfectly in plane then the plywood will also be flat once it is screwed down. Dimensional lumber has inconsistencies but plywood is pretty consistent as far as thickness. I think the plywood definitely helps but it helps more to keep the stand square & from racking. I wouldn’t go as far as using lvl’s. I know locally to me a 16” by 16’ lvl is $125. I don’t think I would rebuild the stand eighther, but I’m not sure what point u are at on the build. I know not many people have a planer to use on dimensional lumber, so u have to make sure u use the straightest pieces u can find. I would go the route Floyd mentioned. Preferably, remove the 1/2” plywood & cut a piece of 3/4” plywood for the top. Shim where it is needed to get it flat. I would use liquid nail under the plywood instead of glue. The liquid nail gets very hard so it will fill in the voids inbetween & around the shims. I would place just enough screws to get it flat & leave it be until the liquid nail dries. Once it dries u can add more screws if u need to. I would also screw right ontop of the shims so u don’t risk sucking the plywood down inbetween the shims. If possible I would try & shim from the inside of the stand. I would try & add the shims & screw it down before adding the liquid nail. Once u have it flat take a little brad nailer & nail the shims to the plywood from under the stand so the shims stay in place. Then take out the screws & remove the plywood. Then place the liquid nail down & put the plywood back in place. If u nail the shims to the plywood everything should be perfectly in place when u set it in the liquid nail. Then screw it back into the same screw holes. It will work eighther way but the second option would let u be able to adjust it & get it right without having a big mess of liquid nail. U would also know that the liquid nail is solid because u wouldn’t be moving it around once u set it in place

05/23/2018, 07:48 AM	#4693
Djbeasley05 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2018 Posts: 644	I’m putting a 60 gallon cube on this pedestal with a 40b sump under it. With that pedestal support the cube? There are 6- 3x3 solid wood pillars under the platform. Under the top is 2-2x6’s running front to neck where the platform legs sit. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

07/17/2018, 09:08 AM	#4694
GreenbriarManor Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Scottsdale, AZ Posts: 15	Good morning all, I am building a stand for a 60x24x24 rimless. My plan is to use 2x6 on the top box and 2x4 on the bottom and most likely center braces front and back. I have two questions: 1. Can I add short 4" legs/feet to the bottom box to hold it up off the floor for cleaning underneath? I have wood floors sitting on a concrete slab sub-floor. 2. If so, what do you recommend? Do I follow the corner leg design and use two 2x4 at 90deg on each corner and then maybe a single one in the center front and back? Or something else? (Apologies if this has been answered, the thread is so huge that searches for "legs", "feet", etc was difficult to parse.) Thanks, J __________________ 20g Freshwater Planted, 5g Portrait AIO; SCA 150g Reef Tank (just ordered) Current Tank Info: 20g Freshwater Planted, 5g Portrait AIO; SCA 150g (just ordered)

09/01/2018, 08:17 AM	#4695
r2odie Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: lake worth, fl Posts: 676	I have read much of this long two part thread and am still a little bit confused about how long a span I can have with no center brace. I know many will say put vertical braces to be safe. But I would like to be able to remove my 6 ft sump (should i ever have to) by leaving a 76 inch span in the front. The back will be vertically supported as well as three 2x6 horizontal braces. The tank is 10 ft long and will hold about 350 gal. The top rails are 2x6 and the open span in the front is 76 inches. I will use a temp support if i have to, but would still have to empty the tank to unload the potential weight. The tank is glass with a trim ring on the top, it is also rounded in the front corners (no seams). Thanks for any responses. __________________ ><((((º>`·.¸¸.·´¯`·.¸.·´¯`·...¸><((((º>¸. ·´¯`·.¸. , . .·´¯`·.. ><((((º>`·.¸¸.·´¯`·.¸.·´¯`·...¸><((((º> Current Tank Info: 400 mixed reef, 16 nuvo.

09/01/2018, 07:05 PM	#4698
Lsufan Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2013 Location: Baton Rouge Posts: 1,410	Glass will flex & it’s very important that the stand keeps that from happening. I wouldn’t go a span of 76” with a 2X6 top frame. I would feel comfortable making that span with a 2 X8 top frame. If u don’t want to do that then I would atleast double up the 2X6 with them glued together.

09/02/2018, 06:55 AM	#4699
r2odie Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: lake worth, fl Posts: 676	[QUOTE=Lsufan;25490803]Glass will flex & it’s very important that the stand keeps that from happening. I wouldn’t go a span of 76” with a 2X6 top frame. I would feel comfortable making that span with a 2 X8 top frame. If u don’t want to do that then I would atleast double up the 2X6 with them glued together.[/QUOTE I can make the top 2x8 simply by making the bottom the top, and moving the three horizontal braces. I'm even thinking about a 1/4 inch plate to stiffen the top beam. Thanks for the input. __________________ ><((((º>`·.¸¸.·´¯`·.¸.·´¯`·...¸><((((º>¸. ·´¯`·.¸. , . .·´¯`·.. ><((((º>`·.¸¸.·´¯`·.¸.·´¯`·...¸><((((º> Current Tank Info: 400 mixed reef, 16 nuvo.

09/02/2018, 10:42 AM	#4700
Lsufan Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2013 Location: Baton Rouge Posts: 1,410	That would be the best option. The bottom frame isn’t as important because it is in contact with the floor. 2X4 for the bottom is plenty, u just want to make sure that if u have to shim the stand to get it level u have a shim under any vertical supports on the stand.